DROP DEAD…GORGEOUS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19TH

DR. JUDITH BRISMAN was the Founding Director of the Eating Disorder Resource Center for over 35 years. She is co-author of Surviving an Eating Disorder: Strategies for Family and Friends (now in its fourth edition and available at Harper Collins or on Amazon!). She is an associate editor of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and is on the editorial board of the journal Eating Disorders. She is a member of the teaching faculty at the William Alanson White Institute, and she maintains a private practice in New York City. Dr. Brisman is known internationally as among the first in her field to develop a treatment program for bulimic patients. She has published and lectured extensively regarding the interpersonal treatment of eating disorders. 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH

DIANA BYER is the founder and Artistic Director Emerita of New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) and New York Theatre Ballet School. A former professional dancer, she was a long-time pupil and colleague of Margaret Craske, who was Director of Ballet Instruction at New York Theatre 

Ballet School until her retirement. Byer is a répétiteur for The Antony Tudor Trust, Education Director for the Dance Notation Bureau, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Little Orchestra Society and Senior Advisor for the Clive Barnes Foundation. She has also served on the Dance Portal Advisory Board of The Children’s Museum of Manhattan and on the Bessie Awards selection committee. She has staged the ballets of Antony Tudor for American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and The Hartt School, and the ballets of Agnes de Mille for the Alabama Ballet and ABT. She also coached the principals for the Columbia Pictures film, Center Stage. In 1988, Byer founded NYTB’s community LIFT program, providing dance classes, scholarships, and services to homeless and at-risk New York City children. Byer has curated panels and performances for Jacob’s Pillow, Tanglewood, the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, The National Arts Club and the Cosmopolitan Club. She has received the Helen Wieselberg Award from the National Arts Club, a Humanitarian Hero recognition from Good Housekeeping Magazine for her ongoing work with LIFT, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Martha Hill Dance Fund. A feature-length film, documenting Byer’s journey of LIFT was featured at the 2022 Tribeca Festival. 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26TH

LINDA HAMILTON, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of New York, where she specializes in the performing arts. She danced with New York City Ballet (NYCB), while attending both college and graduate school full-time to get her doctorate in Clinical and Research Psychology. Her interest in reducing stress and enhancing performance has led to an extensive body of research and clinical work with different performers—from the film, stage, music and other industries. In addition to her private clinical practice, she is the Wellness Consultant for NYCB and The Ailey School. Dr. Hamilton’s ongoing research into the mental and physical stresses of performance has led to more than 300 presentations, 60 academic and mainstream articles, and three books on the occupational stresses in this arena. She also created a popular monthly advice column for Dance Magazine that is now a video series, and is one of the key designers of NYCB’s wellness program, which has reduced the actual weeks of disability in the Company by 46%. This program is outlined in depth in her book The Dancer’s Way. Her knowledge of eating disorders, especially in dancers, has led to many media interviews, including the highly informative NOVA documentary narrated by Susan

Sarandon “Dying to be Thin.” Dr. Hamilton also has shared her expertise in the entertainment industry in venues, such as CBS’ News Report, ABC’s Good Morning America, The Fox News Channel, National Public Radio, The New York Times, Playbill, New York Magazine, and Backstage, among others. Her work with performers is featured in “A Vision to Heal,” a documentary by European Media Support. 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST

CHRYSALIX, Bronx-born and Harlem-raised, is a poet, music-maker, and educator whose creative wingspan stretches across genres and generations. As the founder of Butterfly Beautiful, Inc., she transforms personal pain—including the loss of her husband during the pandemic—into art that uplifts, heals, and inspires. Her work is rooted in body positivity and self-acceptance, using the butterfly as a symbol of transformation and resilience. Chrysalix’s music blends pop, R&B, and world rhythms, while her poetry—often featured in multimedia performances—gives voice to stories of survival, identity, and hope. Through her books, live shows, and upcoming podcast, she invites audiences to embrace their own metamorphosis, especially those who have struggled with body image or faced adversity. As a passionate educator, Chrysalix draws inspiration from today’s youth, championing mental wellness through creative expression. Whether on stage or in the classroom, she empowers others to find their voice, believe in their beauty, and soar beyond limitations—one poem, one song, and one butterfly at a time.